007 or Robbie Williams..?

Robbie Williams has been getting a taste of the superspy life in a new ad which spoofs the James Bond films.

For Café Royal coffee, the spot was filmed in Croatia, Slovenia and at the UK’s Pinewood Studios, and sees Williams appearing to take part in a series of dangerous stunts – including somersaulting on a jet-ski and jumping off a building. And in true 007 style, there are, of course, the obligatory shots of beautiful women to go with the expensive toys.

Experienced action director Marc Schoelermann (Another Film Company) was at the helm of the tongue-in-cheek commercial. He handpicked a team of stuntmen from around the world; including a Slovenian jet-ski champion.

The most elaborate set piece of the ad is the fall from the building. For this, the team used a decelerator rig, on which the stuntman is hung and then lowered at almost real speed.

At the bottom of the building, the rig then slows down safely. This action can be repeated numerous times so multiple angels can be shot.

Of the locations, producer Burak Heplevent said: “It was shot in Slovenia and Croatia because they offered various different landscapes. The island Pag [in Croatia] is like being on the moon and on the mainland side of it is a stretch that feels like the south of France without all the buildings.

“Ljubiljana is very film friendly. They let us shoot a lot of things, including the explosion that other cities would have said no to.

“The production was highly complex due to the various backdrops Marc and the agency requested. Alenka Protic (the service producer) and her team from Bas Production in Slovenia were great and managed the ever changing location availabilities and dates extremely well.

“Compared to all the stunts and locations, the part with Robbie Williams was a walk in the park at Pinewood. He is a pro! I have shot with many stars, only a few this professional.”

Credits

Director - Marc Schoelermann (repped by Another Film Company in London)